Expo 2020 Dubai: Visitors to India Pavilion surpass 600,000

The India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, completed another landmark by receiving 600,000 visitors in 83 days of its opening.

One of the largest and most visited pavilions, the India Pavilion, inaugurated by Piyush Goyal, minister of commerce and industry, consumer affairs and food and public distribution and textiles, had received 604,582 visitors as of December 22, 2021.

The six-month-long Expo 2020 opened on October 1, 2021, after a year’s delay due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In his tweet message, Shri Goyal said, “The India Pavilion @Expo2020Dubai is on a record-making spree. Over 6 lakh (600,000) visitors at this state-of-the-art set-up already! It has emerged as a shining jewel, showcasing India's dreams & aspirations at #IndiaAtDubaiExpo.”

“India is among the most visited and celebrated pavilions at the Expo. We are delighted that we have successfully showcased India’s rich amalgamation of business opportunities and cultural heritage. We have also been able to highlight the business potential of our nation by capitalizing on opportunities to network with global stakeholders to secure investments,” said Sunjay Sudhir, ambassador of India to the UAE.

With the upcoming festive and holiday season, the India Pavilion is expected to witness higher footfalls.

As part of the Christmas celebrations, the India Pavilion is all set to host the renowned AO Naga Choir who will be adding cheer to the celebration with Spirituals, Gospel Songs, Hymns, Ao Naga Songs and Choruses from opera, operetta and musicals. The Choir has recently joined as an Affiliate Member of the Royal School of Church Music, London and a Member of the International Federation of Choral Music.

The India Pavilion has been recognised as “one of the most iconic pavilions” at the Expo by the American Institute of Architects among the 192 participating countries.

The Pavilion has played a key role in showcasing the Indian start-up ecosystem amongst a global audience through initiatives like ‘Elevate’, which aims to display unconventional solutions created by 500 Indian startups from across the country. The Expo 2020 Dubai has also been pivotal in showcasing India as a lucrative business destination and representing the cultural heritage of India.

The India Pavilion has also taken pride in celebrating the UAE’s 50th National Day on 2nd December. The event was celebrated with an array of cultural performances showcasing a unique fusion of India’s and UAE’s cultures. The India Pavilion also celebrated the India-Bangladesh ‘Maitri Diwas’ on 8th December to commemorate the 50 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh.

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States such as Gujarat, Karnataka, Telangana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and UT of Ladakh among others have successfully showcased their business ecosystem along with rich cultural heritage and sourced investment opportunities from leading global investors. Additionally, sectors such as New and Renewable Energy, Space, Urban and Rural Development, Oil & Gas, Textile, Knowledge and Learning have held respective weeks to highlight the growth and investment opportunities in these areas.

The upcoming weeks at the India Pavilion will witness participation from states such as Goa, Jharkhand, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and UT of Jammu & Kashmir among others and sectors such as Tourism, Steel, Healthcare, Electronics and Information Technology, Energy Conservation, Environment & Sustainability, Tribal Affairs to name a few.

waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com

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• India